INCONSISTENCY continues to frustrate the Taipans' efforts to cement themselves as a genuine NBL threat.

After posting two consecutive wins – including their first on the road this season and a club-first against the Tigers in Melbourne – the Taipans fell back into bad habits in New Zealand last night, losing 94-77 to the Breakers.

After starting well and promising much in the first term, a few poor minutes in the second quarter allowed the Breakers’ shooters to find their radars.

And a horror opening to the third term during which the Breakers went on a 14-0 run, effectively handed the game to the home side.

"In the blink of an eye it was a 19-point game (lead to the Breakers) and we were struggling from there on," Taipans coach Aaron Fearne said.

"It was a bit of deja vu for me, it felt exactly like the first game over there (a 95-75 loss).

"We’re just too inconsistent, it’s hurting us."

The Taipans led 30-29 midway through the second term but paid the price when the Breakers found their shooting range late in the quarter.

With the Taipans sitting in a zone, the Breakers were free to bomb away from outside and went on a 15-7 run to establish a handy lead before a late Kerry Williams lay-up brought the margin back to five points at halftime.

But the Breakers split the game wide open early in the third, starting with a 14-0 run to establish a 19-point lead.

The Taipans were held to a measly 13 points for the term, leaving them in a world of trouble trailing 68-52 at the final break.

The Taipans held their own in the final quarter but the damage had already been done.

"They just needed one run," Fearne said of a game in which the Taipans were outscored by just six points over the first, second and fourth quarters.

"We’re playing some really good basketball for periods of the game … but we just have these periods of inconsistency in games, or periods of games, that cost us.

"That’s just what’s letting us down.

"We’re all a bit ticked off about it but we’re the ones that have to fix it. Until we can rectify that and hold each other accountable (for our actions) things will continue to go that way."

Breakers guard Kirk Penney returned after a nine-game layoff through injury and made his presence felt coming off the bench.

The defending league MVP finished with 22 points – including back-to-back three pointers that pushed the margin back out to 16 points when the Taipans threatened a comeback late in the match.

Oscar Forman had a match-high 23 points on seven-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc with the Taipans allowing him to get set.

Rich Melzer finished with 19 points for Cairns, while Phill Jones had 14 and Ian Crosswhite 12.

"Ian was outstanding in that first quarter," Fearne said of the centre’s dominant 10-point performance.

"He picked up a second foul very early in that second term and we had to sit him.

"Rich really found a rhythm tonight, he hit shots from everywhere and that’s how talented he
is."

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